Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
We believe that healing begins when you’re given the tools to accept your present and build a better future. Thatโs the heart of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)โa proven, evidence-based treatment designed to help you navigate intense emotions, manage relationships, and find balance when life feels overwhelming.
DBT promotes two powerful ideas: acceptance and change. It teaches you that while some mental health challenges, such as borderline personality disorder or substance use disorders, may feel heavy and consuming, they donโt define who you are. Through our comprehensive DBT program, youโll begin to recognize your worth, understand your emotional experiences, and gain the strength to move forward.
Our comprehensive DBT program includes:
- Individual therapy with trained DBT therapists
- Group DBT skills training covering core areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
- DBT skills training groups and real-time coaching
- Commitment therapy to support motivation and change
- Experiential exercises like art therapy, music therapy, and mindfulness practices
We believe healing happens when you’re given the tools to understand your emotional experiences and strengthen your relationships.
We also know how difficult it can be to ask for help.
Thatโs why we start every journey with compassion and an individualized plan built around your needs. You’re not alone and donโt have to face this alone.
Why Choose a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Residential Treatment Center?
While outpatient therapy and IOPs offer excellent support, residential care provides a higher level of structure and accountability. At our DBT center in California, you’ll receive round-the-clock support in a safe, nurturing space where you can:
- Step away from daily triggers and stressors
- Focus fully on your recovery and emotional health
- Work with licensed therapists or an adolescent psychiatrist
- Participate in holistic therapies like horticulture therapy, nutritional therapy, and mindfulness
This immersive environment helps you build DBT skills that stick, laying the foundation for long-term treatment outcomes.
How DBT Helps: What the Research Says
A 2024 study published in Behavior Therapy highlights the long-term success and growing evidence behind DBT. The study found that DBT has evolved into a gold-standard treatment, particularly for individuals with borderline personality disorder, suicidal behavior, and emotion regulation difficulties.
According to the study, DBT helps clients:
- Build practical life skills like mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance
- Improve interpersonal skills, leading to stronger relationships
- Reduce self-destructive behaviors such as self-harm or substance abuse
- Develop a life worth living through structured, supportive therapy
The researchers also emphasized the need for continued research to improve access and tailor DBT for diverse populations, but the current data strongly support its effectiveness across many mental health conditions.
Core DBT Skills You’ll Learn
Our program is centered around four key skill areas: mindfulness, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is one of the core DBT skills taught in our comprehensive DBT program at pH Wellness. It helps you stay present with your thoughts and physical sensations, without judgment. For those struggling with borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, or other mental health conditions, mindfulness can be a powerful step toward healing.
Through individual therapy, group skills training, and guided DBT skills training, youโll learn to pause, reflect, and manage emotions more effectively. These skills are especially helpful when navigating emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and the urges that come with self-harm or suicidal behavior.
Our residential treatment center provides a supportive space to practice mindfulness and connect with your inner strength. With the help of our compassionate DBT therapists, youโll learn to respond to life with clarity and calm.
Learning Emotional Regulation in a DBT Program
Intense emotions can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re facing addiction, personality disorders, or other mental health challenges. In dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), youโll learn emotional regulation, one of the core DBT skills that helps you recognize what youโre feeling and respond in healthier ways.
At pH Wellness, our comprehensive DBT program includes skills training and individual therapy to guide you through real-life tools for managing mood swings, reducing impulsive behavior, and improving relationships. Whether youโre working through substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, or co-occurring disorders, learning how to regulate your emotions is key to long-term healing.
You donโt have to stay stuck in emotional chaos. Weโre here to help you build calm, clarity, and confidenceโone skill at a time.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Struggles with addiction, personality disorders, or other mental health concerns can make relationships feel distant or broken. In dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), one of the key DBT skills youโll learn is interpersonal effectivenessโhow to express yourself clearly, set boundaries, and build stronger connections.
At pH Wellness, youโll practice this skill through skills training, group therapy, and individual therapy, all part of our comprehensive DBT program. Youโll learn how to listen with care, communicate with confidence, and repair trust where itโs been lost.
Healthy relationships are possible againโand weโll help you build them, step by step.
Distress Tolerance
Life is filled with both joy and pain, and while itโs natural to avoid discomfort, learning how to sit with it is key to recovery. Distress tolerance is one of the core DBT skills taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). It helps you manage overwhelming emotions without turning to harmful behaviors like self-harm, substance use, or suicidal behavior.
In our comprehensive DBT program, youโll learn both change and acceptance. That includes accepting your current situation without needing to escape it. Through individual therapy, skills training, and support from compassionate DBT therapists, youโll begin to understand that pain doesnโt have to control you. You can ride out difficult moments without falling back into old patterns.
Whether youโre recovering from addiction, managing mental health conditions, or navigating past trauma, distress tolerance gives you the strength to pause, breathe, and take a healthier next step.
The Benefits of DBT in Residential Addiction Treatment
Stopping substance use is only the beginning. True healing comes when you learn how to live differentlyโhow to manage emotions, face difficult situations, and reconnect with yourself and others. Thatโs where dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) shines. As part of our comprehensive DBT program in a structured residential addiction treatment center, DBT offers more than just short-term reliefโit gives you the tools to build lasting change.
Building Real-Life DBT Skills for Recovery
Recovery means knowing how to handle what life throws your way. Through DBT skills training, you’ll develop practical skills that help you cope with the daily stressors that often lead to relapse. These include intense emotions, unhealthy relationships, and overwhelming triggers.
At pH Wellness, we teach these core DBT skills through individual therapy, group skills training, and experiential therapies, so you can practice them in real time. From managing emotional regulation to improving interpersonal effectiveness, these skills prepare you for life beyond treatment, where challenges still exist, but your responses change.
Promoting Emotional Balance and Long-Term Healing
For individuals with borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, or co-occurring disorders, emotional intensity can feel like a storm you canโt escape. DBT helps you manage emotions, tolerate distress, and stay groundedโeven in moments of crisis. These evidence-based methods support real, internal change.
Our DBT program combines elements of behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and commitment therapy to help you identify emotional patterns and replace destructive behaviors with healthy coping tools.
Strengthening Relationships and Self-Awareness
One of the greatest benefits of DBT is its focus on connection. You’ll learn how to communicate more effectively, set boundaries, and build healthy relationshipsโall through the practice of interpersonal effectiveness. In treatment, we help you explore your emotional responses and emotional experiences in a safe, non-judgmental space, guided by licensed therapists who specialize in DBT skills training groups and experiential exercises.
Sustainable Sobriety, One Skill at a Time
When you leave treatment, the world doesnโt stop being difficult, but youโll be different. Our goal is for you to walk away with the DBT skills, emotional regulation strategies, and self-awareness needed to stay grounded and sober long after your stay at our DBT center ends.
Who Should Get DBT?
Dialectical behavior therapy is ideal for individuals who experience intense emotions, difficulty managing relationships, impulsive or self-destructive behaviors, or ongoing mental health challenges. Our DBT residential treatment center is designed for those who need immersive, structured care to build coping skills, emotional regulation, and behavioral stability.
DBT Is Recommended For:
- Individuals with borderline personality disorder
- Teens and adults struggling with chronic self-harm or suicidal ideation
- People with co-occurring disorders (e.g., anxiety and substance use)
- Those experiencing emotional dysregulation or mood disorders
- Clients who have not responded to traditional outpatient therapy
- Self-harming teens in need of structured and safe support
- People dealing with interpersonal conflict and unstable relationships
DBT is especially effective for people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and need practical, evidence-based tools to manage daily life. We treat peopleโnot just diagnosesโwith compassion and a plan rooted in clinical psychology.
What to Expect from Treatment
At pH Wellness, all clients receive a thorough assessment before starting treatment. This helps us create an individualized plan that addresses both clinical and personal goals.
Your comprehensive DBT care may include:
- Weekly sessions with licensed therapists
- Participation in DBT skills groups and structured group skills training
- Integration of commitment therapy and motivational interviewing
- Supportive therapies like nutritional therapy, horticulture therapy, and mindfulness
- Guidance on family dynamics and improving communication skills
- Holistic interventions, including art therapy and music therapy
We strive to meet you where you are. Healing begins the moment you feel seen, heard, and supportedโand weโll be here every step of the way.
Real-Life Results: Long-Term Healing
We believe in effective treatment that creates meaningful, lasting change. Clients who complete our DBT program often report:
- Fewer emotional outbursts and improved ability to manage emotions
- Stronger relationships and healthier family dynamics
- Reduced reliance on self-destructive behaviors
- Greater confidence, self-awareness, and purpose
- Improved treatment outcomes and readiness for independent living
Healing doesnโt happen overnight, but with the right tools and compassionate support, it is possible. Our teamโwhich includes DBT therapists, licensed clinicians, case managers, and holistic practitionersโworks collaboratively to deliver evidence-based therapies that support long-term recovery.
Skills learned here become a part of everyday life. Our clients leave with practical skills that help them face challenges and move forward with resilience.
Insurance and Admissions
Many insurance plans cover the cost of DBT residential treatment. Weโre happy to walk you through the verification process and help you explore your options.
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use disorder, contact us to speak with a caring intake specialist.
